Bengies 2020: A Year of Classics

Once Upon A Time At The Bengies

Usually, I write a "top ten" movie post about the films shown at the Bengies Drive-In after the season ends. This year, of course, it is different.

First off, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in late winter, when the Bengies would normally be gearing up for their season opening. No films in March, nor April. Not even May, when I took this shot:

I thought, at the time, that we could contain this outbreak by following simple public health rules. It was not to be. By the time rules were formulated to allow people to go out to the movies it was June. I'll skip the controversy among the federal, state, and local governments about rules for masks, food preparation and mourn for what we lost.

Then, when the first features were posted on the marquee, it was a relief that we could actually attend. The Bengies was open every night, for weeks, the first time in many many years I can remember them having that many shows per week. I'm glad they were able to hire their full crews, and despite being at half-capacity by restricting parking to every other spot (their choice) they could bring some entertainment to us.

The Bengies, from their 2020 opening date through the end of the season (December 18-19) was a way for many of us to enjoy a little in the midst of chaos.

Sonic/Jumanji

Sonic The Hedgehog was released in February 2020. It would prove to be one of the few movies the Bengies (or any theater in the country) could show as first-run. Jumanji (the next level) was released in 2019, and, honestly, it was so much like the last Jumanji (2017) as to make no difference. Heather kept saying we saw this before. I'll have to re-watch the 1995 Robin Williams version to know how different the special features are. 

Did we enjoy Sonic? Sure. Despite the video-game origins, the kid-oriented PG rating, and king of hams Jim Carrey being the "bad guy" it was awesome to watch the action on the big screen.

For this show, and many others in 2020, we took advantage of the Bengies outside food permit to enjoy meals and leave the snack bar line to others.

4*/2*

Walking the Census in 2020

I started doing Census questions door to door in the past week.

July 2020, United States of America.

I took an oath to keep all personal information confidential, for life. What follows in this post are my notes and comments about the "business process" of using current technology to accomplish the count as has been done for centuries (well two-ish).

I am assigned cases each day, with the goal being to ask the standard questions and collect as many answers as possible. We are issued a digital device that is a common smartphone with certain apps installed and nearly everything else disabled. There is a case list, with an associated map app. There's another common map app, which works to get from point A to point B only. Then it's back to the Census apps.

The biggest ouch I've encountered is not being able to start a survey from a mapped location; I need to return to the case list and open from there. If the place I'm looking for isn't in the top few visible, the device seems to spin for a while. In some cases, I can't get to the place I am next to. Disconcerting?

I've tried different combinations of driving and walking. There's a small incentive to drive because I get mileage reimbursement, so small as not to matter yet. If I get cases further away, I'll get better mileage overall. One of the days I was able to walk the entire route. Not much progress because of rain, heat and humidity.

Knowing the way cul-de-sacs and streets are numbered is handier than using standard map apps, as their focus is A to B but I'm doing a circuit trying to find a shady spot to park if possible and not interfering with any local driving patterns. Or pedestrians. Or cyclists.

I can't sort the list of cases as presented. It's speculation to think there is a method to that madness or if its just the way it works.

The GPS probably doesn't drain the battery as much as the apps do, in my understanding about power consumption levels. Because I spent a few minutes for one collection while in bright sunlight, it seemed the display became too dim to work with.

For obvious reasons (they should be right?) no pictures in this post. I hesitated to even use the camera, given the commitment to privacy protection. To prevent some data leakage, I've turned off location on my personal phone. I usually do anyway unless I need directions or want to take a geo-tagged picture.

Once in a while, the character of Harry the Mailman from Lucifers Hammer comes to mind.

https://www.jerrypournelle.com/sciencefiction/2020/05/13/the-lost-end-to-lucifers-hammer/

Stay Home Stay Safe COVID-19 Music Poll

Music Poll!

Date	Subject	Link	Results
07/01/20
06/30/20
06/29/20
06/28/20
06/27/20	NO POLL -
06/26/20	sofia	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1276493637325594627?s=20	no votes
06/25/20	latin duo	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1276141060125835266?s=20	bomberos
06/24/20	fito	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1275760352177926152?s=20	tie
06/23/20	malpais	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1275403654762201088?s=20	no
06/22/20	sole	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1275059842944811008?s=20	no
06/21/20	silvio r	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1274682333367500802?s=20	descartes
06/20/20	gato	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1274331858134872064?s=20	no
06/19/20	mary black	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1273949883351867392?s=20	looking back
06/18/20	sade	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1273591405357805571?s=20	tie
06/17/20	reggae	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1273227499024121864?s=20	cash/zappa
06/16/20	tosh	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1272878656927531012?s=20	tie
06/15/20	marley	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1272513869408284679?s=20	tie
06/14/20	marley	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1272149803976318977?s=20	tie
06/13/20	marley	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1271789451627433989?s=20	tie
06/12/20	marley	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1271411298941755393?s=20	get up stand up
06/11/20	king	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1271051880119009282?s=20	riding
06/10/20	CCR	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1270690888117878784?s=20	unknown
06/09/20	road tunes	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1270325791113560064?s=20	CCR+
06/08/20	Phil-tom	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1269970652372615173?s=20	tom
06/07/20	paxton	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1269606424105058305?s=20	tie
06/06/20	pete seeger	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1269245383751933959?s=20	tie
06/05/20	joan baez	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1268875701039640577?s=20	like
06/04/20	?	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1268533868077948928?s=20	no
06/03/20	qms	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1268153686733324291?s=20	tie
06/02/20	santana	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1267801476946112513?s=20	smooth
06/01/20	ja	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1267437486080475137?s=20	tie
05/31/20	dnb	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1267065375323234305?s=20	tie
05/30/20	rod stewart	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1266709921908867072?s=20	maggie
05/29/20	joe cocker	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1266363240243757056?s=20	you are
05/28/20	tull	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1265983684043313155?s=20	aqualung
05/27/20	depeche	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1265630961510776832?s=20	kicks
05/26/20	depeche	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1265255500838572032?s=20	tie
05/25/20	depeche	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1264896059320475649?s=20	everything
05/24/20	lips	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1264535413441605632?s=20	yoshimi
05/23/20	drive in	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1264163310984998912?s=20	lobby
05/22/20	r thompson	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1263803870473605120?s=20	mock tudor
05/21/20	art scape	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1263436242278060037?s=20	leon
05/20/20	dire straits	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1263095670069747712?s=20	phil
05/19/20	dire straits	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1262721039496339456?s=20	money
05/18/20	ta dream	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1262368693406830592?s=20	mars polaris
05/17/20	kraftwerk	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1262015163105976320?s=20	t e express
05/16/20	ice cream	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1261649518405263361?s=20	tie
05/15/20	abbie	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1261287346940583938?s=20	who?
05/14/20	cowboy junkies	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1260912712047091712?s=20	tie
05/13/20	feat	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1260538097982267392?s=20	tie
05/12/20	supertramp	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1260179379600134146?s=20	b’fast
05/11/20	REM	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1259832321219452930?s=20	tie
05/10/20	Piano-organ	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1259462557838032898?s=20	piano
05/09/20	Dolly-linda-emmy lou	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1259108064642375682?s=20	rondstat
05/08/20	misc	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1258731639917641730?s=20	oleta
05/07/20	flute	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1258379519020367875?s=20	mozart
05/06/20	flute	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1258019952356974593?s=20	yes
05/05/20	james brown	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1257648733996699649?s=20	tie
05/04/20	black xmas	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1257292552312696833?s=20	tie
05/03/20	huey lewis	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1256949384815824904?s=20	te bomb
05/02/20	joni	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1256585553899855873?s=20	tie
05/01/20	misc	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1256192826418835457?s=20	joni
04/30/20	firesign	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1255839704471212034?s=20	tie
04/29/20	al	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1255462701058469890?s=20	tie
04/28/20	xpn	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1255111911647186945?s=20	xpn
04/27/20	native american	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1254745980018266113?s=20	hovia
04/26/20	women	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1254398230349127681?s=20	tie
04/25/20	german synth	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1254044961106001928?s=20	kraftwerk
04/24/20	OTR	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1253660843998314496?s=20	marlowe
04/23/20	pop	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1253293919883886598?s=20	sara vaughan
04/22/20	latin	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1252945515370741762?s=20	marc anthony
04/21/20	Billy-laura	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1252581024170749955?s=20	laura
04/20/20	jazz	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1252204762868703233?s=20	tie
04/19/20	live/can	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1251852086238732289?s=20	can
04/18/20	Dead	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1251486975317757954?s=20	tie
04/17/20	folk	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1251172272263630852?s=20	other
04/16/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1250768732349247488?s=20	wolf trap
04/15/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1250418870558621696?s=20	plant a little garden
04/14/20	prine duets	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1250030729955868672?s=20	melba
04/13/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1249685158204243976?s=20	when I get to heaven
04/12/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1249322849212432385?s=20	tie
04/11/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1248944483158368257?s=20	space monkey
04/10/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1248590937665740802?s=20	tie
04/09/20	prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1248221198837780480?s=20	tie
04/08/20	NO POLL JOHN PRINE DIES FROM COVID-!9
04/07/20	india	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1247520500617601025?s=20	rahman
04/06/20	Bowie-clapton-simon-palmer	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1247130620670640129?s=20	clapton
04/05/20	NO POLL -
04/04/20	jazz	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1246436857707147264?s=20	sonny rollins
04/03/20	zappa	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1246072103792713728?s=20	best band
04/02/20	springsteen	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1245688618858971136?s=20	darkness
04/01/20	Parker-mingis-duke-coltrane	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1245320830151688192?s=20	parker
03/31/20	Winehouse-chick-et al	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1244963675309572098?s=20	winehouse
03/30/20	NO POLL PRINE HOSPITALIZED	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1244601331450609665?s=20
03/29/20	Bette-madonna-norah-phoebe	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1244249145608744960?s=20	madonna
03/28/20	Chrissie-dolly-janis-grace	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1243901503435354112?s=20	chrissie
03/27/20	Raitt-baez	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1243508676142534657?s=20	tie
03/26/20	Annie-iris-joni-laurie	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1243142572853334016?s=20	Annie
03/25/20	Merchant-jones	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1242802008488316928?s=20	jones
03/24/20	Boz-leo	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1242443052544856072?s=20	Boz
03/23/20	floyd/lips	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1242068494688169985?s=20	floyd
03/22/20	Phish-willie	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1241728293554065412?s=20	willie
03/21/20	Clapton-bruce-allman-traffic	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1241341244099514368?s=20	Allman
03/20/20	Avalanches	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1240977791014838272?s=20	Since
03/19/20	CCR	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1240618556372418560?s=20	CCR+
03/18/20	CSNY-etc	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1240244283267067905?s=20	CSNY
03/17/20	REM-tull-dan-dire	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1239889736975683590?s=20	REM
03/16/20	Dead	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1239506426059513856?s=20	tie
03/15/20	Dead-Stones-Wait-Prine	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1239155008492445698?s=20	Dead
03/14/20	Library-Stream	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1238813316665008131?s=20	Library
03/13/20	Station	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1238433479181905921?s=20	kcsm
03/12/20	new wave-punk	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1238067626267598850?s=20	New wave
03/11/20	Clash-jazz	https://twitter.com/jspath55/status/1237724417519689729?s=20	Clash